We mourn the passing and honor the memory of our Executive Director Cathy Potler, who served the people of New York tirelessly with courage, honesty, and tenacity for more than twenty years. She inspired us her colleagues and staff to carry out the Board's mission of overseeing the city's jails and reminded us that, as Dostoevsky said, a society's civilization can be judged by entering its prisons. Those who have worked or resided at the city's jails owe Cathy Potler more than they can imagine. We shall miss her leadership, company and counsel, and we offer our heartfelt condolences to her family Martín and Natan.

Welcome

The Board of Correction establishes and ensures compliance with minimum standards regulating conditions of confinement and correctional health and mental health care in all City correctional facilities. The Board monitors conditions in the City's jails, investigates serious incidents, evaluates the performance of the Department of Correction, reviews inmate and employee grievances, and makes recommendations in critical areas of correctional planning.

If you would like information about how to locate an inmate, get to Rikers Island, post bail, visit an inmate, send money to an inmate’s account, schedule an attorney visit, deliver a package to an inmate, or schedule pick-up of inmate property, contact the Department of Correction at 718-546-0631 or www.nyc.gov/doc.

The Board of Correction has jurisdiction over the New York City jails. Its jurisdiction does not include the New York State prison system. Information regarding the NYS prison system may be obtained by contacting the offices listed to the right.

Features

The Next Board MeetingThe next meeting of the Board of Correction is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 9:00 a.m.

BOC responds to the U.S. Department of Justice’s reportThe Board wrote to Mayor de Blasio urging his administration to endorse the U.S. Justice Department’s findings that "there is a pattern and practice of conduct on Rikers Island that violates the constitutional rights of adolescents" and a "deep-seated culture of violence pervasive throughout the adolescent facilities at Rikers..." The Board wrote “[w]ithout the administration’s immediate response to the culture of violence on Rikers Island, these practices will continue unabated.” The Board offered its support to help in this effort.BOC Letter to the Mayor

BOC held a public forum on “Punitive Segregation Reform – National Perspectives” on June 12thThe public forum focused on punitive segregation reforms, especially for vulnerable populations, from across the nation that also maintained the safety and security of correctional facility staff and inmates. The presenters included:

Joseph Ponte, Commissioner of NYC Department of Correction and former Commissioner of Maine’s Department of Corrections

Richard Dudley, MD, forensic psychiatrist

The event was moderated by Gordon J. Campbell, Chair, NYC Board of Correction, followed by a Q&A period from Board members and the audience.
This is the link to the webcast: http://new.livestream.com/cunylaw/boc

BOC grants DOHMH variance to provide injury-related diagnoses to DOC

On November 18, 2013, the Board of Correction voted unanimously to grant the Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene’s variance request from section 3-08 [“Privacy and Confidentiality”]
(c)(3) of the Health Care Minimum Standards. The variance allows health care staff to provide to
the Department of Correction specific diagnoses related only to injuries sustained by prisoners
while in correctional custody. The reporting of diagnoses unrelated to an injury would remain
prohibited from disclosure. This variance will remain in effect for six months.

Rule-making will be pursuant to the City Administrative Procedures Act (CAPA). The Board will discuss proposed language with stakeholders, including DOC, DOHMH, OMB, other interested parties, and experts. Under CAPA, the Board will publish and distribute widely its proposed amended standards, solicit written comments and hold a public hearing. The Board will consider all written comments and testimony before promulgating new or revised standards.

BOC grants variance authorizing DOC to temporarily restrict adolescents for up to two hours in their cell

At its public meeting on September 10, 2012, the Board of Correction granted the Department’s request for a variance from Minimum Standards section 1-05(b)(2) “Lock-In” authorizing DOC to temporarily restrict for up to two hours in their cells adolescent prisoners assigned to cell housing units at RNDC who continue to engage in minor misconduct after being ordered to stop. An inmate in temporary cell restriction will have access to all mandated services, unless in the opinion of the area supervisor the inmate has not regained his composure. Under these circumstances, the Department may delay or deny a temporarily restricted inmate’s access to showers, recreation, congregate religious services and law library. All other provisions of the Minimum Standards remain in full force and effect.

At its January 14, 2013 public meeting, the Board renewed the variances for six months, and continued the reporting requirements and conditions on the variances.